DiscoverEU

DiscoverEU

Thank you for your interest but the application period is now closed. The next application round will open in the summer of 2019 (the specific dates will be announced later).

What is DiscoverEU?

Are you 18 years old? Are you up for an adventure? If yes, get ready to explore Europe by joining DiscoverEU, a European Union initiative giving young people the opportunity to travel around Europe.

100 480 young citizens applied during the first application round in June 2018 and at least 15 000 young people were awarded the travel passes. Check the DiscoverEU factsheet to read more about the initiative and the experiences of some of our young DiscoverEU travellers.

During the second application round, which will take place from Thursday 29 November at 12:00 (CET) to Tuesday 11 December at 12:00 (CET), at least 12 000young people will be given the opportunity to travel across Europe.

For the most part you will be travelling by rail, allowing you to take in the endless variety of towns and stunning landscapes that our continent has to offer.

To ensure access to European citizens across the continent, the travel pass will also offer alternatives such as buses or ferries. In exceptional cases, and when no other transport means are available, travel by plane will be permitted. This will ensure that young people living in remote areas or on islands also have a chance to take part.

Europe’s cultural heritage comes in many shapes and forms. Visit the European Capital of Culture for example (do you know which two cities are the European Capitals of Culture in 2018?). You could go to one of the many festivals or arts performances. Or maybe you prefer wandering around museums or going on a trip to a natural park? There is so much to discover!

Why not seize this chance to experience freedom of movement, better understand Europe’s diversity, enjoy its cultural richness, make new friends and ultimately, discover yourself.

Who can apply?

You can only apply if you:

are 18 years old on 31 December 2018, i.e. those young people born between 1 January 2000 (included) and 31 December 2000 (included);

have the nationality of one of the Member States of the European Union at the time of the award decision (to be expected by mid-January 2019);

fill in your correct ID or passport number on the online application form;

If awarded, you can only travel if you:

start your journey in a country which is a Member State of the European Union at the time of the award decision;

plan to travel to at least one foreign country which is a Member State of the European Union at the time of the award decision;

are willing to become a DiscoverEUAmbassador.

Note: If you travelled with DiscoverEU under the first 2018 application round, then you are not eligible to apply for this round.

Young people with special needs are welcome to participate in DiscoverEU. They will be helped with information and tips, and costs of special assistance (accompanying person, dog for visually impaired applicants, etc.) might be covered.

When and how to apply?

The application round will take place from Thursday 29 November at 12:00 (CET) to Tuesday 11 December at 12:00 (CET).

You will need to provide your personal data and give more details about how you will prepare for your trip. You will have to answer 5 multiple choice quiz questions on European culture and diversity as well as on EU youth initiatives targeting young people. Finally, you will have to answer the subsidiary question, which will allow the European Commission to rank the applicants in case there are too many applications. Practically, in order to start your application, you will have to click on the "Apply now" button which will be displayed in the top right corner of this page once the application period starts.

Can I travel with my friends?

When you fill in your application, you can invite 4 additional people to join your group (maximum 5 people per group). You have to fill in the application form, participate in the quiz and reply to the subsidiary question. Then, when submitting the application, a code appears on the screen, which needs to be communicated to the other group members. This code allows the other group members to register on the European Youth Portal and fill in their personal data. All the members of the group need to be 18 year old.

Watch out: It could be that you are awarded with a travel pass, but your group members are not. This happens when they do not complete their application via the European Youth Portal before the end of the application period.

Note that, you can organise meet-ups and combine travel plans with other DiscoverEU travellers! The DiscoverEU Facebook Group is a good platform to do this.

If you are selected, you will be asked to fill in an online booking form. There you can choose between the flexible travel option and the fixed travel option. What are the differences between the two?

Flexible travel option

Fixed travel option

The dates on which you travel remain flexible. However, note that the Travel Pass will have a ‘start date’. From this start date on, your Travel Pass will be valid for one month.

You will have to select fixed travel dates and fixed destinations which cannot be modified once your booking form has been submitted.

You will be able to travel over a period of one month, and travel physically on a set number of travel days (this means that you can spend a set number of travel days on trains). The flexible travel option allows you to travel to many EU countries!

You will be able to visit up to 2 countries which are Member States of the European Union at the time of the award decision. This does not include your starting country and it also does not include the countries you will cross.

You can travel on consecutive days, or you can spread them out during the travel period. Please note that certain trains may require reservations. This can be necessary on certain high-speed and overnight trains.

No supplements for train reservations will be covered by the European Commission.

There is a budget limit of 260€ that needs to be respected. So make sure your requested itinerary is feasible within this budget.

What do we expect from you?

By becoming a DiscoverEU Ambassador, you are invited to report back on your travel experiences, for example through social media tools like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using #DiscoverEU. But you can also give a presentation at your school or at your local community. You could also participate in the #DiscoverEU photo/video #Competition and win great prizes. Get inspired and check the pictures and videos of the previous round. And, selected or not, don't forget to join the DiscoverEU Facebook Group!

Need more information?

If you have a question about DiscoverEU, please check the responses in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page. If this page does not provide the information you need, please get in contact directly with us by clicking on "Ask us!" We aim to reply to all enquiries within five working days.